The present invention relates generally to electrical generators, and more particularly to a high efficiency optical magnetron generator for converting optical radiation to electrical power.
An optical magnetron for producing high efficiency, high power electromagnetic energy at very high frequencies is described in commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/584,887, filed on Jun. 1, 2000, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 6,373,194, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/798,623, filed on Mar. 1, 2001. The present invention relates to the applicant""s discovery that the optical magnetron described in the aforementioned application may operate in an inverse manner as a generator to convert optical radiation into electrical energy or power.
The present invention provides an optical magnetron generator which converts input optical radiation into electrical power. Resultantly, the generator permits the transmission of electric power without wires, for example. The generator can be used in various applications which may include the elimination of electric power transmission lines, beaming power to satellites or aircraft from ground stations, and beaming power from orbiting power stations to earth receivers thus eliminating the pollution of earth-based power stations.
According to one particular aspect of the invention, an optical magnetron generator is provided. The optical magnetron generator includes an anode and a collector separated by an anode-collector space; a pair of output terminals operatively coupled to the anode and the collector to provide an electrical power output based on an electric field generated across the anode-collector space; at least one magnet arranged to provide a dc magnetic field within the anode-collector space generally normal to the electric field; a plurality of resonance cavities each having an opening along a surface of the anode which defines the anode-collector space; an input for receiving electromagnetic radiation from an external source and operatively configured to introduce the optical radiation into the anode-cathode space to establish a resonant electromagnetic field within the resonant cavities; a cathode for introducing electrons into the anode-collector space in proximity to the resonant electromagnetic field; and wherein the resonant electromagnetic field accelerates the electrons within the anode-collector space towards the collector onto which at least a portion of the electrons are collected.
According to another aspect of the invention, an optical magnetron generator is provided which includes a cylindrical collector having a radius rc; an annular-shaped anode having a radius ra and coaxially aligned with the collector to define an anode-collector space having a width wa=raxe2x88x92rc; a pair of output terminals operatively coupled to the anode and the collector to provide an electrical power output based on an electric field generated across the anode-collector space; at least one magnet arranged to provide a dc magnetic field within the anode-collector space generally normal to the electric field; and a plurality of resonant cavities each having an opening along a surface of the anode which defines the anode-collector space; an input for receiving electromagnetic radiation from an external source and operatively configured to introduce the optical radiation into the anode-cathode space to establish a resonant electromagnetic field within the resonant cavities; and a cathode for introducing electrons into the anode-collector space in proximity to the resonance electromagnetic field, wherein the electrons introduced by the cathode are influenced by the resonant electromagnetic field and the magnetic field to accelerate along a path through the anode-collector space which curves towards the collector.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.